Shaft coupling



Jan. 1, 1935. l G; l. HIPPLE SHAF'T coUPLING L Original Filed Jly 13, 1935"' Y l mm Patented Jen. 1, 1935 1,986,437

UNTED STATES PMENTv OFFICE SHAFT COUPLING George I. Hipple, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 13, 1933, Serial No. 680,193

Renewed June 11, 1934 This invention relates to improvements in shaft the blocks themselves, the result being achieved couplings and has for its object to provide a by a distortion of the blocks and without any subdevice of this character which is sufficiently flexstantially or appreciable friction thereon. 1 ible to permit a driving and a driven shaft to be The invention includes means whereby ample out of axial alignment and angularly disposed circulation of air is provided around the blocks 5 to each other to a degree, in either or both infor the absorption of such heat as may be generstances, that would obviate the successful use of ated, thus preventing the heating of said blocks the various types of shaft-couplings that are or members to a destructive degree.V purchasable in the market at this time, so far as Referring now to the drawing, it will be noted 1 am informed, V that i the coupling comprises a' female member 10 Other objects of the invention are to provide a (1) having a cylindrical cavity (2) therein which I shaft coupling that is very simple in construction, is equipped with an inner cylindrical face from is inexpensive and which also is easily and quickly its mouth DOI'OIVGO 2 PODG adjacent the bOtGOn repaired at very small expense. thereof. In the bottom portion of the member A suitable embodiment of the invention is illus- (2) I provide what may be termed socket forma- 15 trated in the accompanying drawing wherein: tions (3) bordered in part by inwardly-extending Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view flanges (4), which are slightly convergent to of a shaft coupling constructed in accordance retain the elements received therein.

with the invention. Blocks of flexible vulcanized rubber or other Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on suitable material shown in perspective` in Fig. 20 the 1m@ 2 2 0f Fig, 1, (6) are mounted in the member (2). .Fach of Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the open end of said blocks comprises a body portion (5) equipped the casing of one member of the coupling. with a rectangular shank (6) on its lower face Fig. 4 is sectional view of the same on the line and having a rear face flush with the flat rear 4 4 of Fig, 2, face (7) of said block. In said rear face, I pro- 25 Fig. 5 is aperspective View of the male member vide a rectangular recess (8) which is open at 0f the coupling, the top, is of greater width than said shank (6) Fig` 6 is a perspective view of one of the ilexand is spaced from the latter by a shallow wall ible cushions of the female member of the couportion (9). The side walls of said recess (8) p1ing are disposed at the meeting point of arcuate end 30 The present invention relates particularly to surfaces (10) of said block which are of a radius that type of shaft coupling wherein flexible eleequal to that of the member (2) and which ments are employed to transmit motion from a hug the latter above the socket formations and driving to a driven member. In the prior art, as upper ends of the said anges (4) known to me, this has been accomplished by The other, or front face, of the block (6) is 35 means of the interposition of blocks of rubber bea double convex contour having a long radius tween the said members and in said structures, a from one side edge to the other of said block compression of the rubber blocks is relied upon to and a short radius vertically of the block, the take up variations in relative movement of the highest point in said face being opposed subsaid member due to their dis-alignment or relastantially to the middle of the recess (8). 40 tively angular disposition or both. Preferably, only three of said blocks are pro- In the prior art structures, as far as the same vided, as well as three of said socket formaare known to me, the results of the particular tions (3) .to receive the shanks of said three ,application of force on the rubber blocks has problocks, the latter being mounted in place by induced surface friction of a high degreewhich serting the shank (6) in 'said sockets (3) with 45 causes the rubber blocks to become heated to a the recess (8) and the arcuate side edge portion destructive degree, with the result that they had of the blocks opposed to the inner cylindrical face to be renewed every few hours, unless the coupled yof the member (2). The member (2), as hereshafts are almost perfectly aligned. in illustrated, is equipped with a series of bend- The invention herein illustrated and described, able tongues or projections (11) along its outer 50 includes the use of flexible and preferably vuledge which are bent over as shown in Fig. 3, canized rubber blocks interposed between a drivto hold the blocks (5) against longitudinal moveing and a driven member wherein said blocks are ment relatively to the member (2) but in pracso constructed and arranged as to avoid the surtice, I nd that said tongue (11) may be omitted face friction referred to and the compression of if desired. v 55 The male member of the coupling comprises a. cylindrical portion (12) terminating in a substantially triangular portion (14) presenting three equal flat faces disposed equi-distantly.

are secured in said male and female members by means of pins (19), butl any other mode of securing the same in place mayb used.

After the blocks (5) have been inserted into the female member (2), as shown in Fig. 2, the triangular end portion of the male member (12) is inserted into said female member with the middle portion of each of the flat faces (13) engaged with the highest point in the inner double convex faces of the respective blocks (5).

Assuming the male member (12) to be the driving member, it will be noted that upon a rotation thereof relatively to the 'female member, the said flat faces will roll over the double convex faces of the blocks (5) without slippage along the same, until the flanges (14) eng-age the opposing portions of said blocks (5), whereupon a slight distortion of the blocks (5) will take place and this distortion is taken up in the hollows between the rear faces of the blocks (5) and the opposed arcuate wall of the member (2).

In practice, it is found that the said distortion rarely takes place for the reason that the female member which is the driven member, will respond to the pressure exerted by the male member before said anges (14) come into contact with the blocks (5) and thus the relative rotary movement between the member (12) and the member (2) is limited to a very `short arc.

In the event that the member (2) is angularly disposed axially with respect to the member (12), the aforesaid rolling action will occur longitudinally of said members (12 and 14) in the degree fixed by the angle formed between the axes of male and female members. This is rarely of appreciable degree, but by reason of the high degree of flexibility afforded by the blocks (5) due to the hollow spaces behind the same, as above pointed out, it has been found that` there is substantially no skin friction at the points of contact of the faces (13)- with the double convex faces of the said blocks.

The Arotation of the male and female members provides a constant and ample circulation of air within the female member and about the exposed surfaces of the blocks (5) to maintain the latter sufficiently cool to prevent injury thereto by heat.

The structure is obviously very simple and cheap and permits of easy removal and replacement of blocks (5) when required.

I claim as my invention:-

1. A shaft coupling comprising a casing equipped with sets of inwardly projecting retaining devices spaced equidistant from each other, flexible members each having a projection at one end engaged with one set of said devices, the body-portion of each of the said flexible meinbers having a double-convex inner face and having outer side edge portions disposed in contact with the inner face of the peripheral wall of said casing, there being a recess in the outer face of said body portion extending from the outer end thereof to a point contiguous to the junction of the body portion and said projection and between said side edge portions to render said body portion substantially hollow, and a male member presenting straight flat walls opposed to and in surface contact with the double convex surfaces of said flexible members.

2. A shaft coupling comprising a cylindrical casing closed at one end and equipped with a plurality of socket formations contiguous to the closed end and adjacent its inner peripheral Wall, said formations being equidistant from each other, a plurality of flexible members each equipped with a shank engaged in one of said socket formations and each comprising a body portion having a double convex inner face and a recess in its rear face opposed to the middle portion of said double-convex face thereof to provide an air-pocket between said body portion and the cylindrical wall of said casing, the side edge portion of said lbody portions opposed to said cylindrical wall being arcuate to correspond to and hug said wall, and a male member projecting into said casing and equipped with a polygonal end portion presenting a number of equal straight flat faces corresponding to the number of the said flexible members, the middle portions of said flat faces being in close contact with the middle portions of the double convex faces of said flexible members.

3. A shaft coupling comprising a cylindrical casing closed at one end and equipped with a plurality of socket formations contiguous to its' closed end and adjacent its inner peripheral wall, said formations being equidistant from each other, a plurality of flexible members each equipped with a shank engaged in one of said socket formations and each comprising a body portion having a double convex inner face and a recess in its rear face opposed to the middle portion of said double convex face thereof to provide an air-pocket between said body portion and the cylindrical wall of said casing, the side edge portions of said body portions constituting the sole points of contact with the inner cylindrical face of the casing, and a male member projecting into said casing and equipped with a polygonal end portion presenting a number of equal straight flat faces corresponding to the number of the said flexible members, the middle portions of said flat faces being in close Contact with the middle portions of the double convex faces of said flexible members.

4. A shaft coupling comprising a cylindrical casing closed at one end and equipped with a plurality of socket formations contiguous to its closed end and adjacent its inner peripheral wall, said formations being equidistant from each other, a plurality of flexible members each equipped with a shank engaged in one of said socket formations and each comprising a body portion having a double convex inner face and a flat outer face opposed to the inner cylindrical face of the casing, with the side edge portions of said rear face in contact with the latter and a male member projecting into said casing and equipped with a polygonal end portion presenting a number of equal straight flat faces corresponding to the number of the said flexible members, the middle portions of said flat faces being in close contact with the middle portions of the double convex faces of said flexible members.

VIl() 5. A shaft :coupling-comprising a cylindrical casing closed at one end and equipped with a plurality of socket formations contiguous to its closed end and adjacent its inner peripheral vwall said formations being equidistant from eachl other, a plurality of flexible t members each equipped with a shank engaged in one of said socket formations and each comprising'a body portion having a double convex inner face and an outer face of a contour to provide an air space 4between the latter and the inner cylindrical face of the casing and a ymale member projecting into said casing and equipped with a polygonal end portion presenting a number of equal straight flat faces corresponding to the number of the said flexible members, the middle portions of said flat faces being in close contact with the middle portions of the double convex faces of said flexible members.

6. A shaft coupling, comprising a cylindrical casing equipped with three equal and equally spaced apart flexible members, each of the latter presenting an inner double convex face of shorter diameter in the planes of the axis of said cylindrical casing than in planes transversely disposed to said axis, the outer faces of said members being of contour to provide free spaces between them and the opposed inner` cylindrical face of the casing, the side edge portions of said members being engaged with said casing and a male member projecting into said casing and equipped with a polygonal end por-tion presenting a number of equal straight flat faces corresponding to the number of the said flexible members, the middle portions of said flat faces being in close contact with the middle portions of the double convex faces of lsaid flexible members.

7. A shaft coupling` comprising a cylindrical casing equipped with three equal and equally spaced apart flexible members, each of the latter presenting an inner double convex face of shorter diameter in the planes of the axis of said cylindrical casing than in planes transversely disposed to said axis, the outer faces of said members being of contour to provide free spaces between them and the opposed inner cylindrical face of lthe casing, the side edge portions of said members being engaged with said casing and a male member projecting into said casing and equipped with a polygonal end portion presenting a number of equal straight fiat faces corresponding to the number of the said flexible members, the middle portions of said flat faces being in close contact with the middle portions of the double convex faces of said flexible members and outwardly projecting flanges atthe corners of the male member disposed in the spaces between ,the flexible members of said casing.

8. A shaft coupling comprising a casing equipped with sets of inwardly projecting retaining devices spaced equidistant from each other, flexible members each having a vprojection at one end engaged with one set of said devices, the body portion of each of the said flexible members having an inner face and having outer side edge portions disposed in contact with the inner face of the peripheral wall of said casing, there being a recess in the outer face of said body portion extending from the outer end thereof to a point contiguous to the iunction of the body portion and said projection land between said side edge portions to `render said body portion substantially hollow, and a male member presenting straight flat walls opposed to and in surface contact with the inner surfaces of said flexible members.

9. A shaft coupling comprising a cylindrical casing equipped with a plurality of equal and equally spaced apart flexible members, the outer faces of said members being of contour to provide free spaces between them and the opposed inner face of the casing, the side edge portions of said members being engaged with said casing, a male member projecting into the said casing and equipped with a polygonal end portion presenting `a number of faces corresponding with the number of said flexible members, said faces being substantially flat and normally engaged at their middle portions with the middle portions of the inner faces of said flexible members.

10. A shaft coupling comprising a cylindrical casing equipped with a plurality of equal and equally spaced apart flexible members, the outer faces of said members being of contour toprovide free spaces between them and the opposed inner face of the casing, the side edge portions of said members being engaged with said casing, a male member projecting into the said casing and equipped with a polygonal end Aportion presenting a number of faces corresponding with the number of flexible members, said faces being substantially flat and normally engaged at their middle portions with the middle portions of the inner faces of said flexible members, saidl inner faces being shaped to cause different portions, thereof, to engage the opposed faces of the male member as the latter rotates relatively to' the female member under the influence of power applied to one of said members for transmission to and through the other thereof.

11. In a shaft coupling, a hollow casing of generally'circular form for attachment to the end of one shaft section, a plurality of resiliently yieldable blocks arranged about the innerl wall of the casing in equally spaced relation circumferentially of the casing, means for holding the blocks against any substantial movement circumferentially of the casing, and a member in the casing for attachment to the end of another shaft section, said blocks being generally convex toward the center of the member, and the portions of the member opposite the blocks being generally concave the intervening portions of the member spaced from the sides of the blocks in generally angular outwardly diverging relation thereto, whereby to permit of a wedged engagement between the member and each of the blocks over a progressively, increasing area under an increase in torque.

GEORGE I. HIPPLE.

toward the latter, with 

